Directions: Your team will research ancient Greek political systems. You will create a news segment whose aim is to teach the class about Greek political life and the affect ancient Greek political life has had on the world today. Your news segment should be 5 minutes long.

Our model of democratic government can be traced directly back to ancient Greece. During a time period when people were ruled by kings, emperors, or tyrants, in Athens, a government where people ruled themselves was truly revolutionary. Even today, throughout much of the world, democracy remains more of an ideal and a dream than a reality. The road to democracy was not a straight path. Along the way, the Greeks took many turns before arriving at a system where all citizens participated in self-rule.

For your political report, consider these options:

1) Make your report a documentary that traces the path to democracy in Athens. If you do this, you should explain what democracy is. Include the changes that eventually led to democracy and what politician was responsible for the change. Explain how the changes resulted in more power for Athenian citizens. State any problems with democracy and how democracy works today.

2) Do a comparative study of different types of government in ancient Greece. Corinth was led by a tyrant. Sparta blended a monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy. Athens had a democracy. If you choose this style of report, you should define what each type of government is. You should also draw comparisons stating the strengths and weaknesses of each type of government.

3) Cover a live political event. It could be an election or a political debate. If you choose this style of report, you should be clear about where the event takes place, what event is taking place, and why it is important. Show the citizens participating in their government and explain what their responsibilities are and why their participation is important.

In order to be successful with your political report you will need to perform the following tasks:

1. With your partners, you should brainstorm ideas for subtopics that relate to ancient Greek politics.2. Collaborate with your partners to come up with 15-20 "open-ended" questions. Avoid simple, yes-or-no questions.3. Research ancient Greek politics. 4. Work together to develop thoughtful answers to your questions and record your answers on your worksheet.5. Write your script. Give special thought to how you present your political report (comparison of different systems or city-states, and election, historical events...) and in what order you present your information.

Checklist:1) You provide a neat, organized copy of your script for your news segment. (15 points) _____2) Your report explains ancient Greek political systems, what role citizenship played, and in what ways citizens participated in government, as well as other important facts. (50 points) _____3) Your report shows that you have practiced. Be loud, clear, and well organized. (10 points) _____4) You keep track of your sources and correctly fill out and turn in a source list. (10 points) _____5) You correctly complete and turn in your task lists and peer evaluations. (10 points) _____6) I get 5 points to award or take away depending on how focused you are in class and how well you work together as a team.

Total Points: 100 points possible.

Extra Credit:You can earn an additional 5 points for dressing like an ancient Greek and including at least two props. You can earn an additional 10 points for filming a 30 second "commercial." See me for details.